Genesis 18:25

New King James Version

Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

For Encouragement

They knew Sodom and Gomorrah’s sins were flagrant and ripe for divine judgment. The issue then was not whether Sodom deserved destruction. Abraham’s concern before God was the lives of his Lot and his family.

Lot chose the corrupt and morally bankrupt cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for a living because of the wealth of the area (Genesis 13:8-13). Sodom was a dangerous place to live (14:5-16), yet Lot continued to live there.

If anybody doubts how elevating prosperity as the priority in life could numb the senses of someone who should know what is right, consider Lot’s story. He had gained the respect of the people of Sodom, so the environment had become normal to him. Lot had even pledged his two daughters in marriage to the local men. What a disaster to the life of a man brought up under the tutelage of Abraham, the father of faith and friend of Yahweh! But that is what worldliness, and the love of money and wealth can do to the child of God. Paul said it right.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10).

Lot had gone on this prosperity trail and had become entangled with the cities of God’s judgement. That was Abraham’s concern when he stood before the Lord to intercede for Sodom (Genesis 18:16-33). He appealed to God’s justice on behalf of Sodom for the sake of his nephew.

Abraham knew God was righteous, merciful, faithful, and trustworthy. Yahweh always does what is right. It’s inconceivable, therefore, for Christ to sweep away the righteous with the unrighteous as the Judge of all the earth. Thus, what number of righteous people could stay God’s judgment on Sodom?

Abraham tenderly bargained with Christ from fifty righteous in Sodom to ten righteous for whose sake God would spare Sodom (26-32). What a shame Sodom could not boast of ten righteous people to avert God’s judgement.

Caught in the storm as a prisoner on the voyage to Rome, God assured Paul that He would save everybody on the ship because of him (Acts 27:23-26). Paul had been praying, and God heard His cry (Psalm 34:4-7).

Do not underestimate the power of your presence in the lives of others. God works through you to prevent many accidents, as He did with Paul in the storm. Your intercessory prayers accomplish much more than you know because of the righteousness of Christ within you.

So, child of God! Fan aflame the power of intercessory prayer and allow the Holy Spirit to minister through you to save others. As Christ intercedes for us before the Father (Romans 8:34), may the Holy Spirit empower you to intercede for others.

Have you given yourself to intercessory prayer?